The brown eyes were emotionless, and the man's face was strange. Taemin felt awkward, and he let the old man go, who cleared his throat, adjusted his clothes, and left in a hurry. 

How could he be such an idiot that he thought it was the captain? Choi Minho had told him he did not care about anything what was connected to the boy. But he had to talk to him, and he did not care if the man would protest, because it was about the kingdom. Taemin took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and walked away, when a shadow covered the sun from him.

"I am sorry" he mumbled under his nose, and without looking at the person he continued his way to the palace.

As he walked beside him the tall man grabbed his arm, freezing the blood in Taemin with a quiet laughter.

The boy slowly looked at the hand what held him, then took a look at the man's face. He could recognize that icy smile anywhere. Something started squeezing his heart, and he was afraid he wouldn't get any air soon. It became only worse, when the japanese man pulled Taemin before himself in the crowd. They were so close to each other that the other people did not notice anything from the small dagger what touched Taemin's stomach. 

"Ta... Takuya..."

"I knew you will remember my name. I'll be honest" he looked around in the street, then back at the scared soldier ", I've never been here before. Would you lead me to the palace?"

*

It had been a long time ago when he had run so fast like this. He was not even half way to the palace, when Minho stopped in the middle of the crowd. The young soldier's voice in his head was louder than any other sound in the capital, and the captain fisted his hands.

I didn't lie about the important things...

He tried to avoid the people, and to run in a way that wouldn't harm anybody around him.

I didn't lie to you in the cave!

As he saw the familiar inn Minho stopped and caught his breath. He leaned to the door, pushed the door handle down, and went upstairs, following his memories.

After he reached the top of the stairs he saw the sobbing boy in front of him again, and he felt again as he hugged him from behind. Minho had been too harsh to him, and he knew it. His duties had made his vision unclear, and he hadn't noticed that this young boy had done everything what the other soldiers, maybe more, and he had proved that he had a place in the army too.

You really were my first.

But before he could have remembered the events in the cave he knocked on the door. He did not say anything, but he heard that someone approached the door. Minho did not know what he should say, how he should apologize, but if he could see the young soldier then it was enough.

"Oh, Captain?"

Both of them were surprised. Neither of them saw the person they counted on. Kibum blinked at his superior, blankly, and it was the same with Minho too. If Lee Jinki had opened the door he would not have been this surprised, because he had left the boy here with him.

He pushed away the still shocked man, carefully, and entered the room. Kim Jonghyun was sitting by the window, but seeing their captain he stood up from the chair, and bowed. His gaze found Kibum's, who was still next to the door, and they were communicating without words. None of them knew what Captain Choi was doing there.

"Where are the others?" Minho asked, after he had realized beyond the two soldiers the room was empty. 

"Lee Taemin... I mean." Jonghyun took a break, when he noticed the younger's heated gestures behind the captain. "Lee Taehoon left to..."

"I know he's not Lee Taehoon." Minho interrupted him, nervously. "Where is he?"

"He left, so he can warn you. And Lee Jinki went after him."

"Warn me?" First he thought he had heard it wrong, this is why he repeated it. "Why?"

"He said he saw Takuya." Jonghyun pointed at the window, and he even looked out of it to show it.

"Jinki said we should stay here, just in case if Taemin would come back." Kibum stepped closer to them, and waited for the captain's order, curiously.

He hadn't think he would do that. From what he knew about the boy he knew he wouldn't calm down until he finished what he had started. Taemin had wanted to talk to him, what was impossible until Minho was in the inn. He had to go to the palace as fast as he could.

"Do... do you have horses?"he found the only solution.

"Yes, down there..." Kibum started, but the captain already stormed out of the room.

Jonghyun turned to the window, and he could see soon as Choi Minho went to the horses, untied one of them, sat on its back, and left to the way of the royal palace.

"You know... if the Captain's right, Taemin won't come back."

"Hm... it can be true." Kibum walked next to him, thinking about the things what had happened earlier. "I don't want to be rude, it's not about your company, but... it's getting boring to be here. Everybody went to the palace. Shouldn't we... go after them?"

"I thought about the same thing, Kim Kibum."

It was time for a festivity in the palace, because everybody knew because of the soldiers that the Japanese army had failed, and Captain Choi Minho had come back in one piece. The king wanted to thank him everything he had done for the kingdom, and he wanted to remember about General Choi too, because he had known him for a long time too.

This is why the gate of the royal court was open, and although there were guards everywhere anybody could enter the place for the festivity.

Taemin did not want to make chaos in the capital so he did what Takuya told him. He was walking before him, and if the elder thought Taemin would run away he put the dagger closer to his back.

The guards were too busy, or they just did not care about the pale faced boy and his trembling legs during walking, but they could make it, they entered the court, and the younger was waiting for Takuya's next step. Meanwhile he was looking at the people, maybe he could see Minho, but it did not happen.

"Go that way." Takuya spoke after the long silence, and Taemin could feel again the dagger's blade what made him go.

Lee Jinki leaned on the wall what was around the royal court, panting. The guards took their gaze at him, but because he was wearing the soldiers' uniform they did not do anything just watched him as he joined the people who walked inside the court.

"Ex... excuse me" he patted an old man's shoulder, who could not wait to see the ceremony. "Haven't you seen a tall, thin man and a shorter one? He's wearing a uniform."

"Are you kidding me, son? Take a look around."

"What?" Jinki's eyebrows rised up, and he followed the man's gaze.

Maybe the whole capital's people were there, and even from other cities and villages too. The last time he had seen so many people like this was in the battle field, and he started to loose the hope to find Taemin.

A horse's loud voice took Jinki's attention, and he turned to the way of the gate, where the guards bowed, and one of them held the rein. Jinki left the old man there, not like he was bothered because of it, and the younger did not stop until he reached Choi Minho.

"Captain, what are you..."

"Where is he?"

"What?"

"You're here because of him, aren't you?"

"Yes... but I haven't seen him."

"Okay" he processed the information, thinking about a plan. "Stay here, and try to find out if somebody could see him. If we are lucky, he will be in the crowd."

"And where are you going... Captain?" He remembered that he was talking to his superior.

"To the palace."

They entered the building through a back door, but it was only a place like a basement. Taemin thought it was too easy, and he prayed to meet the guards of the king sooner or later. Takuya held his arm and the dagger tight. Taemin had seen him during fighting, he knew exactly how fast and ruthless he was; he could kill him in a moment.

"Open the door" he gave the order to the younger, who touched the door handle with shaking fingers, slowly, but as the door opened with a jarring sound Taemin got scared because of the tall guard in front of them.

Takuya changed his position; put the dagger to Taemin's neck with one hand, and with the other he pulled his katana out of his belt, what was covered by his long coat, and in the next moment the guard collapsed on the floor, making a blood puddle under himself.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He held the katana's blade in front of Taemin, where the blood drops were running down, lazily. "You have to remember... or did you forget what happened to Shin?"

He asked the question whispering, so close to Taemin that the cold ran through on the boy's spine, and when Takuya took his earlobe between his lips he grabbed the man's arm on his chest, maybe he could set himself free, but the other was stronger.

"Maybe you killed the guard, but you can't find the King." Taemin hoped he could make him sad, but Takuya laughed.

"Oh, I know. But I have a new plan in my head. It will be much funnier, believe me. But we need one more man's company, I hope he will be here soon."

"What..."

They were already in the corridor, where Takuya walked in silence, and if he heard a noise they turned to another way where was darker, holding Taemin tight.

The door was not closed when Minho found it. He worried about it, but he entered the dark basement. The captain wrapped his fingers around the sword, just in case if he needed it. The man carefully pushed the door handle down, but his heart beat faster when he saw boots on the floor and blood around them.

It was not him. The man was a guard from the palace, and now he was dead. So Takuya was here, but was Taemin with him? Before he could have panicked he saw footprints from the blood, and he followed their way. He was sure it was not Takuya's work.

"Your... your footprints." Taemin noticed, when they arrived to another corridor.

"Oh, yes. I told you we'll have one more guest, right?"

So did Takuya want someone to find them? But who could it be? He immediately removed the king from his thoughts, just as the members of the royal army. It could have meant the man's death. He knew Takuya was smarter. But then... no... no! It could not be! Taemin had to do something.

He collected all of his strenght, and not caring about the consequences, bowed his head back. Pain attacked the back of his head, but his plan worked, and Takuya's arm disappeared from him, but he did not think the blade would hurt his skin. He hissed with pain what he felt the blade on his neck, and he put his palm on the fresh wound. The boy only took one look at the blood, and he pulled his sword out of his belt, but instead of starting a fight he started to ran.

It was the first time Taemin was in the palace, so he just followed his feelings, and he tried to find the stairs so he could take Takuya away from the innocent people. Although it would not have been a bad thing if he could have met some guards who could fight with the japanese man, but it did not happen.

Taemin felt dizzy, he had to lean on a door. His blood coloured his clothes' collar with red, his head was in pain, his legs were shaking because of the fear and exhaustion. He placed his weight on the handle, so the big door opened, and Taemin found himself on a balcony. The boy walked forward, stumbling, and grabbed the decorative railing. He could see the whole court from there; the people, who gathered for the ceremony, the lanterns and the stars in the dark sky.

His knees became weak, and Taemin fell on the floor. His fingers whhich checked his wound before made blood stripes on the railing. He held the sword if it was about his life, but it was the truth. The boy rested his head against the cold column, and closed his eyes, when he heard the steps what were coming closer to the opened door.

"Taemin!"

He did not expect this voice. He slowly opened his heavy eyelids up, and saw as his captain rushed to him and knelt down in front of him. His heart was squeezed because of the sight, and he needed all of his strength to hold his tears back. The captain tore a part off from his clothes, and put it on the still bleeding wound on the boy's neck.

"Captain... you... you have to leave..."

"Forget it. You're hurt."

"Please..." The tears were running down on his cheeks, while the begging left his lips. "Warn... the guards and the soldiers."

"I won't leave you here..."

"Captain..."

"Minho" he corrected him, and wiped a tear drop off with his thumb, while he tried to keep the cloth on the wound.

He had to figure something out. He could not take the injured boy through the palace; Takuya could find them anytime, so he had to think about something else. He stood up and leaned above the railing. Minho saw the lanterns and the ropes. The servants of the palace tied the ropes to the roof of this balcony. Minho checked if it was strong enough for two people, and when he made sure of it he took his robe off of the back of the uniform.

"I'm sorry..."

A hand clung to his leg, and after he heard Taemin's weak voice the boy fell on the floor from his sitting position. Minho's fingers went weak around the material, so the wind took it away.

"I'm so sorry I'm late."

Because of the voice the veins became visible on Minho's neck and forehead. He turned around, and immediately pulled his sword out, pointing at the young man.

"It's such a shame... I didn't plan this night like this. I wanted him to watch you die... I should have killed him after you" he told him, like he was talking about something ordinary. 

"What has to do with our death to the King or to the kingdom?" Minho asked him, and carefully took some steps forward.

"You don't have much imagination if you think it's still about that old man" he did as the korean captain, but he did not move from his place.

"Then... oh... Shin..."

"Don't be this sentimental, Captain. I want to finish this case."

The weapons met with a loud sound. Both of them were experienced fighters, so the duel was equal. But even like this Takuya was harsh, and he tried to cut Minho where the sword could not protect him, and once he kicked his stomach in a way the captain fell on the floor, but he rolled away before the katana could have met his forehead.

He heard a humming sound in the beginning. It started to disappear, and he could hear the sound of reality. Pantings, shoutings, crashes of swords. Taemin slowly opened his eyes, and first he could see only vaguely then clearly what was happening around him. 

He wanted to move, but it was not that easy as he thought. The boy could only move his hand slowly, but he could rest his body's weight on his elbow. It seemed the two men did not notice that he had woken up, but it was not a problem to him.

One of the swords fell on the ground, and Taemin's heart skipped a beat, especially when he lifted his head and he saw that Minho lost his weapon.

It did not matter how many times he had saved Minho's life, and he did not care if the captain did not need his help, he wanted to do this.

Takuya kicked the captain's sword away, and it went to the big balcony's other end. He was like a maniac, a madman. 

He could not attack him from the front, it would have been a totally suicide. Takuya could have noticed him from the side too, so he did not have other choice. Taemin wrapped his arms around the man's slim body, and he tried to pull him away from Minho, but he did not think about the railing behind himself.

Takuya knew it well, so he turned around in the boy's arms, easily, but because he needed both of his hands, he dropped the katana off of the balcony, so the captain could not have it. He wrapped his long fingers around Taemin's neck, tighting his grip especially on the wound.

The building could be really old, Taemin felt as the railing became weaker under their weight, and before Minho could have held them both of them disappeared from the floor. He heard as they rolled through the roof, and if Taemin hadn't clung to the edge of it then they would have fallen into the depths.

"Taemin! Taemin, hold my hand!"

It was impossible. Minho was too far from him, he could not reach him. Taemin felt a heavy weight on his foot, and when he looked down he saw Takuya. Obviously the man did not want to end on the stone stairs under them either, so he did everything to survive.

"You can't pull us up!" Taemin told what everybody was thinking about.

"But I won't let you go."

The crowd became nervous because of the sight. Jinki followed the people's gaze, and he opened his mouth because of the shock. Someone stopped next to him, and touched his shoulder. He looked at the person, scared, but he sighed with relief when he saw Kibum and Jonghyun, who had been running from the inn.

"Oh my God!" Kibum noticed what was happening, and put his hand to his mouth.

"Come on." The eldest patted their shoulders, and made a way for them through the crowd.

"What do you want to do?"

"Do you remember when Taemin fell from the column?"

Of course they did, they could not forget about that so easily. Jinki saw a bigger flag on the lower building, and he threw his dagger away what cut the rope so they got the flag. Some of them from the crowd shouted, seeing this, but as soon as they understood them an older man joined them to help the soldiers, so there was someone at all of the four corners of the flag.

"Yes, you're gonna let me go." Taemin escaped his hand, because he knew Minho would fall too.

He looked into Minho's teary eyes, he did not look away from them as they were farther from each other. Then he saw as Minho stood up and disappeared on the balcony. Taemin did not know what happened, but he did not care anymore. The kingdom and the King were safe, just like Choi Minho.

Taemin waited for the hard stairs, but he just felt a material around him which caused a minimal pain to him. The three men went to him immediately, and the guards caught Takuya.

"Wait... Wait!" Taemin shouted after them, with panting voice.

He did not care about his friends' worried looks, their protective arms, he just stood up and ran to the guards, almost falling, because his legs were still shaking. The two older guards stopped, turning their prisoner with them, so he faced the boy.

"I'm... I'm sorry... I didn't want Shin..."

"No one did. And don't you dare to mention his name again."

The guards of the king thought it was time to bring Takuya to the King before things would be worse, and Taemin looked after them, disappointed. He did not want this, he hadn't planned this.

"Taemin!"

Hearing his name the boy quickly turned around, and he saw their captain on the top of the stairs. He must have left the balcony to run to them. Jinki, Jonghyun and Kibum stepped out of the way, seeing as the two men were walking closer to each other.

"Are..." Minho swallowed; he already wiped his tears off during the way in the palace. "Are you alright?"

He wanted to hug him, he wanted to be close to him. But his friends and all of the people in the royal court could see him, so he just bit his bottom lip to avoid the tears, and nodded.

"I am so sorry. I shouldn't have left you there."

"No, I... I totally understand. You had to do that."

They heard noises from the crowd again, and Taemin saw as his friends bowed. He did not understand anything, and Minho was looking at the people too, frowning. Then Taemin saw an old man in decorative clothes over Minho's shoulder after he had stepped out from the palace, and there was councillor Daemok too.

"So it is true! I didn't want to believe it, but look at him, your majesty! This man cannot be Lee Taehoon!"

Minho bowed before the king, but he did not move from the boy, so he could still cover him. The king lifted his hand up, making councillor Daemok stop talking, and the old man cleared his throat.

"Where is he? Where is the man who broke the rules of the King, and joined the army as an under aged person?"

Taemin pushed Minho away, gently, and immediately bent on his knees; he was afraid to look into the king's eyes, and he wanted to avoid Daemok's gaze too.

"Under age! Exactly! Man... pff... Excuse me... he's just a little boy!" Daemok pointed at him, like he was some weird creature.

"I am six... sixteen years old." Taemin could not hold it back. "I am not a little boy."

"This sixteen years old boy" the king took the word back ", broke the rules and did nothing when the enemy wanted to enter the palace."

The whole capital was watching him. They were watching him as the king scolded him. Taemin did not want anything else just to finally go home. He wanted to go back to his family; he did not care if they would scold him, too. He just wanted to be alone like before.

"In spite of all these, Terada Takuya is in prison, and the Captain of the Korean army is alive, thanks to you, Lee Taemin."

Minho's eyes were gleaming because of pride, as he was watching the scene, and Jinki and the others felt the same behind him.

"But... your majesty..." Daemok was shocked, and he looked at Taemin then looked at the king. "Sixteen!"

"The youngers are more mature nowadays, don't you think, Councillor?" The man smiled under his beard, then looked at the boy before him again. "The Royal family and the whole country will be thankful to you forever, Lee Taemin." The king bowed, and it made Daemok almost faint, but he tried to pull himself together. "You have to find a doctor for this boy" he turned to Minho.

"I will, your majesty."

"Oh, and Captain, I trust you, so you can take care of this young man, can't you?"

He could not help but smiled at the king's words, and nodded, making sure that he would do what the king wanted. 

"I... I think I'm going home." Taemin said quietly, when Minho stopped before him. "I am sorry for all the troubles."

"Taemin..."

"Thank you for everything" he gabbled, because he wanted to leave quickly. He knew he was going to cry soon and he did not want Minho to see it.

"Lee Jinki" he called the man after Taemin left on the stairs. "You will lead him home, right?"

"Yes, Captain, but... can I say something?"

It sounded interesting so Minho took his gaze away from Taemin who was already in the crowd, and turned his head aside to look into Jinki's eyes.

"Go after him. Taemin's heart will be broken if it's the last time you met..."

"Lee Jinki, you cross the lines" he said, laughing, but Jinki stayed serious.

"Yes, but the war is over, and you are not my Captain anymore. Take it as an advice from a friend" he patted Minho's shoulder, shocking the younger, and went to the same way as Taemin had done earlier.

Even long minutes after Taemin and the other soldiers had left the palace Minho could hear the words what the elder told him:

Go after him. Taemin's heart will be broken if it's the last time you met...